Electronic apparatuses or devices such as set-top boxes are typically assembled apparatuses having a plurality of walls wherein at least one of the walls is secured with a plurality of screws. Unfortunately, gaining access to the interior components of these devices requires removing the plurality of screws which often requires excessive handling of the device. The excessive handling often will involve changing the orientation of the device, such as by turning the devices upside down or placing it on its sides, to find each of the screws. This is then followed by disassembling the device by removal of one screw at a time with the device being upside down or on its side. This excessive handling of the device increases the chances of damaging the interior components because each motion of the device jars the components. Interior components will typically include one or more printed circuit boards and components thereon which can be at risk of damage. Additionally, the removal and reengaging of the screws presents the opportunity for scratching the device or stripping threads of the screws.
In light of the fact that interior components of electronic devices often need to be accessed and that accessing the interior components can place the interior components at risk of damage or place the electronic device at risk for scratches, a need exists for an improved electronic device structure and method for opening the electronic device which is fast, simple, and safe and a need exists to introduce different functionalities to the electronic device which is also fast, simple, and safe without having to open the electronic device.
To meet some of the known needs, one known system is disclosed in WO2010008360A1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to WO2010008360A1 in a disassembled condition. An apparatus 1, such as a set top box, can include an enclosure having exterior walls defining an interior space, a top 10 having an interior surface 112 and a plurality of coupling clips 30 extending from the interior surface, and a base 5. The base 5 has an inner surface, a plurality of clip receiving members 20 extending from the inner surface which engage the coupling clips 30 to secure the top 10 to the base 5. The base 5 further includes at least one aperture 7 adapted to permit a release fixture having a plurality of decoupling members extending from a plate to simultaneously disengage the clip receiving members 20.
Further, there is a recognized need in the market to reduce the sizes of set top boxes without reducing the plurality of functionalities, versatility and ability to increase their functionalities. As a consequence, there is a need for set top boxes to be designed to be more crowded in terms of the interior components and/or to be adaptable in such a fashion where additional functionalities and components can be introduced without accessing the interior of set top boxes.
Because more densely packed set top boxes implies a more frequent need to access the interiors of such set top boxes, set top boxes need to be designed in such a fashion that they can be safely and quickly disassembled. This will prevent excessive handling when adding other interior components and/or replacing damaged or antiquated interior components with new or improved components.
Because of spatial constraints in more densely packed set top boxes and/or the convenience of being able add one or more functionalities without the need to gain interior access to set top boxes, it would be advantageous to develop set top boxes in such a fashion that users are able to change or enhance the functionalities of set top boxes by adapting set top boxes to able to receive modular components by someone that does not have professional installation skills.
The need for electronic devices such as set top boxes and gateway devices, to have screwless design and/or to be adaptable to receive functionalities through modular components also applies to vertically oriented electronic devices in which the casings of the device are vertically tall or at least less horizontally oriented than the device shown in WO2010008360A1. Because vertically oriented electronic devices appear to be of interest in the consumer market, some focus of the current principles applies to vertically oriented electronic devices.